Absence (2013) Horror Movie Review

Absence is well, pretty absent of any excitement for the most part but I do love a found footage film and I eagerly awaited what was going to happen. Absence teases you with suspense but once it gets into it and gets you hooked, it’s practically over before you know it.

Absence, Directed by Jimmy Loweree, starts with Evan (Ryan Smale) a film student who is documenting his sister Liz (Erin Way), and her husband Rick (Eric Matheny) whose 7-month old fetus mysteriously vanished from Liz’s body. To escape police questioning to something they, nor the doctors have any explanation for and media attention and prying eyes, they all head to a cabin in the woods. Considering the severity of Liz and Rick’s situation it’s surprising that they let Evan document everything, rather insensitively might I add.

The documentary shooting is “real” though you could call it “sloppy” for a films sake. No one holds the camera twenty-four-seven and you do put it down when needing to do something or when you’re occasionally talking to other people so in that sense it’s real filming but it can be annoying for the viewer’s pleasure. Another thing about many found footage movies is that we see the day to day life of the characters, and while this helps us get to know them and builds them up, it can get pretty boring at times.

The central mystery of the disappearance takes baby steps, no pun intended, and the scares are far and few between but not the worst I’ve ever seen and just a few are really pretty effective.

The ending was expected once it happened but I enjoyed it all the same.

If you’re not a fan of found footage, you may not like Absence. If you need good acting to enjoy a film, you may not like this movie. But if you are a fan of found footage, can handle to odd bad acting and have an Alien fetish, this just might be right up your street. Or in your home.